Food display device

ABSTRACT

In a food display device there is provided a cooling well forming a top opening, and a cooled fin protruding above the level of the top opening.

U Umted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,862,547

lshammar 1 Jan. 28, 1975 1 FOOD DISPLAY DEVICE 1.893.330 1/1933 Jones 165/119 2,175,839 10/1939 Hopkins.. 62/458 [76] Inventor: Nlls Gosta S1gvard Ishammar, 2248.467 7/1941 Scilken l I i i u 62/458 Manstigen 1 5 216 18 Malmo, 2.375.069 1/1945 Bennett 62/283 en 2,428,243 9/1947 Rasken 62/4511 [22] Filed: Dec. 6, 1973 Primary ExaminerWilliam J. Wye [2]] Appl' 422l10 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lucius, Parry. Von Gehr.

Goldsmith & Deschamps [52] US. Cl 62/246, 62/253, 62/254,

I 62/458 51 1m. (:1. A47f 3/04 [571 ABSTRALT [58] Field of Search 62/458, 246, 253, 254 In a f display device there is provided a cooling well forming a top opening, and a cooled fin protrud- [56] References cued ing above the level of the top opening.

UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,710,381 4/1929 Platten 62/458 1 3 D'awmg F'gures sum 1 OF 2 PATENTEI] JAN 2 8 I975 Ill vllill'lIIlllllxll FIG.

PATENTEB JAN 2 8 I975 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

FOOD DISPLAY DEVICE This invention relates to a food display device for food which is to be kept cold during the display.

In restaurants and other places with self-service buffets, tables and counters are often provided with cooling wells in the table or counter top for such food that must be kept cold (not frozen) to preserve its quality, even if displayed for considerable time in room temperature surroundings. Such a cooling well comprises a box-shaped recess or depression in the table or counter top with external surrounding cooling tubes or a cooling jacket. As it appears, however, such cooling wells do not meet with the requirement of keeping the food fresh since there is bound to be certain drying up of the surface of the displayed food which will gradually cause the spared parts of the food kept in the cooling well to look drab and unappetizing, making it look old if ever so fresh and despite the appearance of the highest quality.

An object of the invention is to eliminate this inconvenience.

According to the invention there is provided a food display device comprising a well open at the top, for the reception of the food to be displayed, means for cooling said well, at least one fin protruding above the opening level of the well, and means for cooling said fin.

For an illustrative embodiment of the invention, reference is made to the enclosed drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cooling well arranged according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of said cooling well as seenalong a line Il-ll of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as seen along a line III-III of FIG. 2.

A cooling well open at the top is made of high polish stainless steel and has a rim 11 to be suspended by means of said rim for instance from a table top 12, the well being countersunk into the table top to form a boxshaped recess therein. In the middle of and across the rectangular top opening of the cooling well there is a fin 13 protruding above the rim over the opening level of the cooling well. The fin, too, is made of high polish stainless steel and is hollow to form a cavity 14.

To cool the well there is provided on its outer side a cooling tube 15 surrounding the well and connected to a refrigerating or cooling unit (not shown). According to the invention there is connected to this cooling tube a further cooling tube 16 received by the cavity of fin 13. This cavity may be filled with an appropriate heat conducting contact mass in order to obtain a uniform cooling of the surface of the fin by means of the cooling tube 16.

When the cooling well is in operation and is kept at a desired temperature which is above +32F but in a range close to this temperature by means of the cooling tube connected to a refrigerating or cooling unit the cooling effected by the tin 13 makes cold air flow down onto the surface of the food displayed in the cooling well and, when in contact with the surrounding warmer air this cold air will yield a moist condensate on the surface of the food stored in the well. This moisture will help retain a fresh and appetizing appearance of the food even if it is kept in the well for considerable time on such conditions that are otherwise required to retain a good quality of the food.

It is, of course, not necessary to arrange the tin 13 across the opening of the cooling well. It will do as well to arrange one or more cooled fins along the edges of the opening and it is feasible to adapt the height of said fin according to a desired requirement of cooling.

What I claim is:

l. A food display device comprising: a well open at the top, for the reception of food to be displayed; means for cooling said well; and at least one fin extending across the opening of the well and protruding above the opening level of the well, said fin comprising a metal shell forming a cavity open at the bottom towards the well, and the device further comprising a coolant tube disposed in said cavity. 

1. A food display device comprising: a well open at the top, for the reception of food to be displayed; means for cooling said well; and at least one fin extending across the opening of the well and protruding above the opening level of the well, said fin comprising a metal shell forming a cavity open at the bottom towards the well, and the device further comprising a coolant tube disposed in said cavity. 